Smallville: "Rage"Review

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Ollie learns that age-old line, "Don't Do Drugs," has some truth to it.

By Chris Carabott

Just like last week's episode, "Rage" does a great deal of setting up events for the rest of the season, including a surprise announcement that is sure to turn Smallville on its head for better or for worse. Sadly, the episode suffers from an unoriginal plot and one unusual moment that would be best left unexplored.

Before diving into that surprise announcement it is probably best to get the rather mundane central plot of the episode out of the way. Ollie a.k.a. Green Arrow has been funding experiments into tissue regeneration so that he can be invulnerable when fighting the forces of evil. Unfortunately, just like all these type serums (except for Captain America's Super-Serum of course) there is a side effect that causes Ollie to lose his temper and hurt those he loves. At one point he even throws Lois Lane through a glass table, sending her to the hospital. Naturally, Clark investigates and with the help of Chloe they get to the bottom of what is happening. Now, this story has been done numerous times in science fiction and in many different ways so it was hard not to see what was coming next. This is not to say that this story wasn't well executed, because it was, but it felt extremely contrived.

It just so happens that Lex Luthor is also funding the exact same experiment as Ollie that also happens to be connected to a "Second Chance" halfway house that Lana wants to donate to. Oh, and "it just so happens" that the goon who shoots Ollie at the beginning of the episode is also taking the drug that Lex and Ollie are funding. One or two connections are a coincidence; try to string several coincidences together and it becomes hard not to see right through the paper-thin plot.

In the end, Ollie realizes that he doesn't need drugs to be cool&#Array; err&#Array; fight crime and Clark realizes that there might be something to Ollie risking his butt to save Metropolis after all. Maybe they should form a league?

Normally, this type of uninspired story telling would be enough to sentence the episode to a sub par score but "Rage" is saved by its strong character development and that surprise announcement which is beautifully acted by Kristin Kreuk.

First, a word on the possible budding relationship between Lionel Luthor and Martha Kent. If there is one avenue that this series should not explore it is an intimate relationship between these two characters. Yes, Martha Kent should eventually seek out a relationship with someone after Jonathan's passing but considering the past history between the Kents and the Luthors it doesn't make any logical sense story wise. Unless the writers have something unexpected planned, not much good can come of this. Then again, the same could have been said for Lex and Lana and that has been surprisingly well handled.

The key revelation in "Rage" and one of the biggest revelations that the series has ever offered is that Lana Lang is pregnant. This plays out over several wonderfully acted scenes by Kristen Kreuk who is really coming into her own as an actress. There is one scene with Clark asking Lana why she is crying that is incredibly charged with emotion and one of the best performances that either actor has given in their respective roles. Once Lex finds out about this child, he will most likely want to distance himself from Lana due to the revelations made in the episode "Lexmas." For those who may not remember, in that episode, Lex is given a possible glimpse of the future and Lana dies giving birth to her and Lex's second child.

The episode ends with a classic Thanksgiving celebration and Clark taking the role of his father as the new patriarch of the Kent family. Lionel, Lois, Chloe and Ollie all attend and Clark watches, with a smile on his face, as his friends celebrate Turkey Day.

Meanwhile, Lana and Lex have their own quiet dinner at the Luthor mansion sitting across from each other at a several foot long table. Is this the man Lana wants as the father of her child?